By By Bruce Hixon Standard Sports Editor
T.R. Miller Lady Tigers softball catcher Terri Lynne Peacock has landed a spot on the Panhandle Express, a summer travelling team that consists of players age 16 and under.
Peacock is actually now 17 years old, but participation eligibility is based on a player's age on January 1.
Peacock, a junior who hit .460 (44-for-96) for the Lady Tigers this spring, will be joined on the squad by area players Jessica Morris and Becky Lopez, both of Flomaton. The roster will consist of approximately 10 to 12 players.
The Panhandle Express' season will run through the end of July. The squad will participate in various tournaments throughout the south in places such as Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), Ocean Springs (Miss.), Pensacola (Fla.) and Birmingham.
Maybe, maybe not: Both Peacock and junior leftfielder Haley Rilling finished the season tied for the T.R. Miller lead in team hits with 44.
The 44 hits may very well be a school record since T.R. Miller switched to fast pitch softball five years ago although coach Jamie Riggs is not sure.
"I'd have to go through all the old books, but my guess both Haley and Terri Lynne set the record. We've played a lot more games the last couple of years than what the program used to play so they've naturally had some more opportunities to hit," Riggs said.
Former Jefferson Davis Community College basketball player Jeff Sullivan has signed to play for the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. UAF is an NCAA Division II school.
The 6-9 Sullivan averaged 11 points a game for the Warhawks during his freshman season of 2001-02. Sullivan, who averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds a game during his senior season at Carrollton High School, then joined the United States Army and averaged nearly 30 points a game for the post basketball team at Fort Wainright in competition against other military teams.
"Jeff is not just a quality big man, but a player with unbelievable potential," Alaska-Fairbanks coach Frank Ostanik said. " His most impressive characteristic is his desire to work and develop his potential. Jeff plays so hard and forces everyone on the floor to raise their playing level. His commitment to our program and desire to become as good as he can be separates him from any other big man we can recruit."